This program is run by a group of seasoned Canberra entrepreneurs who invest in, host, teach and mentor selected startups to create successful businesses.

Shortlisted applicants will:
- Gain access to a three-month program with $25,000 investment in the business, in return for 10% equity.
- Move into a free shared office space to continue working on their startup.

At the end of the program, successful applicants get the opportunity to pitch to investors. Raising capital is not the primary focus, but in most cases it is a necessary step and will enable faster growth. The next three months will include assistance with investor relations – finding the right investors, the right deal terms, and completing the right investment rounds.

Who Can Apply

Eligible applicants include all startup businesses who are ambitious and innovative.

Eligible Activities

Eligible activities include a weekly seminar which introduces an important topic, some key highlights from a few mentors, then discuss how these ideas apply to each team in detail with mentors. Topics covered will include:
- Startup basics
- Pitching and strategy
- Lean customer validation
- Business systems basics
- KPIs and metrics
- Competitor landscape and research
- Advanced pitching
- Practical marketing for startups
- Sales
- Business models, strategy, IP and defensibility
- Financial projections

Main Assessment Criteria

The main assessment criteria include whether the team has the potential to succeed in creating high growth innovative businesses.